Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Reva's Favorite Book

I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti Shustak

Reva doesn't actually let me read very many books to hear, but she loves to play with them and page through them on her own. Unlike Caleb, she does not treat books lightly, so we've had to do many repairs since she discovered books, even on some of the board books. This book is one of the few I can read to her. It was a gift from Aunt Emily for Reva before she was even born and I've always liked it. I read this to Reva every night before she goes to bed and it's always a joyful experience. Literally. As soon as I pull it out, Reva giggles with glee, starts kicking her legs, and generally makes the happiest baby noises.

It's a very sweet, short book and so far has proved very durable despite Reva's obsession.

Caleb's Current Favorites

It's been a while since we heard from Caleb, so here's a look at what he's reading now.

Cars books still figure prominently.

Winnie-the-Pooh CD storybook. This was actually a gift to Reva for Christmas, but Caleb has become obsessed. We listen to the CD during the day and for naps and nighttime. It's too bad the stories are adapted from A.A. Milne's classic. I tried to get him interested in the real book (which I have), but this is the one he wants.

Olivia by Ian Falconer, another gift for Reva that was co-opted. It's a good thing she's too little to understand just yet.

Ben Hurry: A Lesson in Patience from VeggieTales. At least we get to use the line, "Patience is a gift from God" often throughout the day.

If You're Happy and You Know It! by Jane Cabrera. We like this one because we can sing along. It also encourages all of us to come up with our own voices (and to get up and move around).

The Loudest Lion by Paul Bright.

Monday, July 30, 2007

It's Over

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Yes, I'm a big fan. Josh and I argued (not seriously) about who would read the final book first. (He won, because I was in D.C., but he had to finish it before I got home).

This final book was a fitting end to the series which I highly recommend. I love reading these books and I do not worry about my children becoming obsessed with the dark arts. Of course, they're much too young for these books. We'll have to figure out how to space them, too, since Caleb will still not be able to read through the whole series when he's ready for the first one.

Anyway, I'm impressed by Ms. Rowling's creative mind and her dedication to her characters. We're looking forward to the "encyclopedia" she's tackling next so we can learn more (backstory and more) about each of them.

If you haven't allowed yourself the pleasure of reading these books, please do not fear the stink of popularity. This is a tremendous series that I predict will fare well the test of time.

The Books that Changed Our Lives

The Unsettling of America: Culture & Agriculture by Wendell Berry

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan

First, a confession: I haven't read Mr. Pollan's book. I imagine I'll read it eventually, but there are only so many pages a working mother of two can get through.

I did just finish the Wendell Berry book. Josh urged me to read it now that he's become a great believer in the small family farm, including convincing me it should be our family goal. I have no problem with the small family farm; perhaps because it's already in my genes, but I agreed to read the book because he was so excited about it. I found it a convincing argument against commercial agriculture at the expense of the small farmer. I can understand how Josh feels because having read it, I'm now anxious to begin our little family organic farming experience, complete with draft animals. (The desire for draft animals may die down, though Josh and I have discussed keeping a horse once we're established, for riding and other fun.)

I'm not going to write much here simply because I haven't the time, but if you're interested in the Papsdorf family dream, these books will give you an idea where we're headed.